Salford is lining itself up for a huge year of culture in 2026, as the city celebrates 100 years of city status.
A year-long programme of events will roll out across eight neighbourhoods, transforming streets and venues with large-scale installations, pop-up festivals and community-led projects exploring Salford’s past, present and future.
Credit: From the Other
One of the first major signals of what’s in store is the announcement of the Sounds From the Other City 2026 lineup. The long-running independent festival returns on Sunday 3rd May 2026, bringing over 100 artists to 17 stages across the city.
Artists announced so far include Lynks, Moonchild Sanelly, BBC 6 Music Artist of the Year jasmine.4.t and Richie Culver. Curated by leading Northern tastemakers, you can expect a deep dive into some of the most exciting names in new music.
From the Other – the creative force behind the festival – has been appointed alongside outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank as co-creative producers for the centenary programme. With a solid track record in delivering ambitious public events while putting community front and centre, the pairing sets the tone for the year ahead.
Credit: Walk the Plank
Four major commissions are planned so far, including Salford Everywhere, a large-scale projection artwork, Songs of Salford, a collaborative music residency, and The Wagon Train, a travelling festival that’s shaped by each neighbourhood it visits.
The programme officially launches on Tuesday 21st April 2026 – Salford’s birthday – before culminating in a huge finale event in autumn. If you’re a resident and you share the same birthday, you could even be in line for a surprise live music moment to mark the occasion.
It’s shaping up to be a statement year for Salford’s cultural identity, putting creativity, community participation and independent arts firmly at the centre of the city’s next chapter. We can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
Salford 100 kicks off on Tuesday 21st April 2026. Sounds From the Other City takes place on Sunday 3rd May 2026. Tickets start from £30.
Cover image credit: Breige Cobane
